TheCable

The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) on Saturday asked the federal government to arrest Ango Abdullahi, spokesman of Northern Elders Forum (NEF).

Abdullahi had expressed support to the quit notice issued by Arewa youth groups, asking the Igbo to vacate the region within three months.

The NEF spokesman told journalists in Zaria on Friday that it was hypocritical of the Igbo to continue to live in other parts of the country while agitating for Nigeria’s break up.

Addressing a world press conference in Kaduna on Saturday, the NYCN distanced itself from Abdullahi’s standpoint.

Isah Abubakar, president of the group, said should there be any crisis as a result of the uncivil declaration, Abdullahi and his family will fly out of the country and leave the innocent to pay with their blood.

“We are surprised with statement credited to our renown elder and academic, Professor Ango Abdullahi supporting the uncivil and illegal declaration that Igbos should vacate the north, Abubakar said.

“NYCN want to use this medium to dissociate itself from anti-Nigeria agenda for selfish reason. We are not happy with the development in all its ramifications.

“We are calling on federal government to extend its arrest order to Professor Ango Abdullahi and other people who must have sponsored the perpetrators of such a huge inciting statement capable of throng the country into another civil unrest while the country is yet to fully recovered from the previous one several decades after.”

Isah said the declaration does not in any way represent the collective voice or decision of any legitimate coalition of youth groups from the region as the council remains the apex youth organisation that has the right to announce any resolution of youths from the region.

He noted that any Nigerian citizen has the right to live and own property anywhere he or she chooses – without fear from other fellow citizens.